Black English (formerly NO) Interview

These songs are a love letter to ourselves, something to keep us going when days become a struggle.

NO are an indie rock band from Echo Park in Los Angeles. Leaded by Bradley Hanan Carter, this band is maybe new for us but they have already years of stage and good music on their shoulders. With a sound that could be like a happy marriage between The National and Arcade Fire, NO music is more optimistic, more romantic, with their own style, a unique and peculiar singer voice and, over all, very good tracks.

Their compositions are progressive, always in crescendo, with that romantic pop touch that grows letting us to see their indie rock heart. I would say that NO band have also some influence by 90’s alternative rock and all this ingredients are a bomb installed on their soul. I think this could come out at any moment. I just wish to be there in front of their stage the day that this happens, because they have all the potency to do this and give us very good albums and very good moments. This band have all the components and skills to be a reference for the indie rock music. It is just a question of time that we see this.

Interview with Sean Daniel Stentz of Black English

NO members were already friends in Echo Park before forming the band. How were that first steps of the band?

It all started pretty casually. Hanging out at Bradley’s, playing songs for each other. We wanted to write a bit & develop something before we stepped out into the world as NO. Once we had recorded the EP it was all about translating that live. The focus became developing into a proper band, as up until that point it was only Bradley and me, along with various friends who helped us record the EP. We wanted to become more than that.

We started following your work after that romantic video with the dummies for “Stay With Me”. How get NO inspired to compose those beautiful songs?

We are attempting to make music that compels emotions or energy or hope. We had conversations in the early days about what we wanted to say or how we wanted to sound…but I think what naturally came out represents who we are. We’re all romantics at heart. Things haven’t been easy for any of us over the last couple of years and these songs are a love letter to ourselves…something to keep us going when days become a struggle.

Nevertheless, NO music has some progressive parts that show other sides of the band. Is there a wild part on NO as well?

There might be a little of that under the surface…

When are you planning the release of your first album?

Sometime the middle of next year.

How is NO on stage? What can we find on your live performances that we won’t find on your studio records?

Everyone of us sings in the band, and the one thing we hope for soon is that people will come to our shows and sing along. We want to build a community of sorts at every show, something unifying and shared by everyone.

A long tour with Father John Misty. Is this tour a point of inflection for NO?

I think the before for us was back in the bedroom writing those first songs. Since we put the EP out we’ve just started charging ahead. We just spent a month out in the US, and now another month over here in Europe…we don’t want to stop.

What would you consider the most positive things of this tour?

We’ve grown closer as a band, both musically and as friends. So much time spent in close proximity forces that. But I think it’s just focused us even more. The new songs are developing live. And watching an amazing band like Father John Misty every night…it’s just inspiring.

First time playing in Spain, will you come back to present us your new album?